Chapter 97

Something blurry was floating around Melissa.

‘What’s that?’

Is my vision off?

Roro rubbed her eyes with her forearm and then opened them wide again.

That’s when she clearly saw a child, about five years old, tugging at Melissa’s skirt.

But what was strange was that the child’s outline was blurry.

It was as if the child was wrapped in a mist.

“Huh?”

What is that?

Roro furrowed her brows and was about to move closer when suddenly Melissa started running after the child.

What the heck. Roro reflexively glanced at the guards.

But they were all looking elsewhere, so it seemed they hadn’t noticed Melissa had already disappeared.

A very clever moment.

Roro’s lips twisted.

‘Yeah.’

You’ll pay for underestimating me.

Using her thief’s quiet steps, Roro quickly chased after Melissa.

Hee-hee. Hee-hee-hee!

Roro let out a crooked laugh as she ran after Melissa.

They would soon pay the price for their disregard.

‘If they lose the target, they’ll obviously get in trouble, right?’

Meanwhile, she’d either be praised for protecting Melissa or, at the very least, prove her worth.

Then she’d have a reason to stay at Eisenhart Castle.

Hee-hee! With a sinister smile, Roro continued to chase after Melissa.

“Hah, hah—”

By the way, why is she running so fast?

Roro’s eyes widened as she watched Melissa running through the alley non-stop.

She was wearing a long skirt, yet she was running faster than Roro, who was wearing pants. That’s just unfair.

Of course, there’s a size difference, so when I grow up—

“…Huh?”

At that moment, Roro noticed the entrance that Melissa was running toward.

Without thinking, she glanced around.

She knew this path.

But…

Had there been a path like that in this alley?

The realization made her forehead tingle with a sharp sensation.

The design hidden behind her bangs seemed to warn her, as if poking her forehead with a warning.

‘What’s going on?’

Roro, still flustered, rubbed her forehead while quickly scanning the area.

She’d been in almost every alley when she first entered the city, looking for an escape route for when she needed to flee after pickpocketing.

But if even she didn’t know this path, it meant it was either a dangerous alley or…

“Stop!”

It must have appeared suddenly.

Roro shouted, and Melissa looked back.

Ah. Melissa opened her mouth.

But the sound coming from her mouth was inaudible, as a buzzing noise overwhelmed her ears. What is this? Roro’s eyes grew wide in shock at the unexpected and strange situation.

Then, the walls on both sides of Melissa suddenly started to expand.

Before she knew it, the entire alley was shifting, creating a shape like a giant’s mouth.

“Ahhh!”

Roro tried to stop her feet, but her body, in motion, couldn’t stop and leaned forward.

Gulp.

The giant’s mouth closed, swallowing both Melissa and Roro.

The alley, where they had just disappeared, turned back into an ordinary wall.

As if nothing had happened.

Silent.

* * *

“…Ugh.”

This feels awful.

Roro slowly blinked as something hovered in her blurry vision.

“Are you awake?”

Huh.

Roro shot up but immediately collapsed again as her head buzzed painfully.

“Are you hurt?”

At the urgent voice, Roro sluggishly parted her lips.

“You… what the hell did you do?”

The stammering Melissa quickly added.

“The child… she said she lost her dog.”

The child had disappeared suddenly. Is she okay? Could she have gone inside here? If she’s in danger…

“Are you stupid?”

Roro shouted, then immediately grabbed her head in pain.

Damn. It hurts so much.

Roro muttered, feeling a terrible headache and nausea.

“You’ve been tricked. By ‘it.’”

“Huh?”

“It’s not human.”

“Huh?”

Melissa’s eyes widened, and Roro flinched.

What was that? How did I know that?

Roro rolled her eyes.

But that thing wasn’t human.

At least, that’s what it felt like.

“Well, anyway!”

Roro quickly changed the subject and shouted.

“I’ve repaid the debt from before!”

“Debt?”

“When you fell from the window.”

Roro pouted, and as she replied, Melissa stared at her in silence, blinking a few times before finally saying, “Oh, I see. You were holding onto it, weren’t you? How kind of you, little one.”

What? Roro flinched.

But Melissa continued to speak gently.

“On the other hand, I now have a huge debt to you. I’ll repay you somehow.”

“Don’t…”

Roro hesitated, trying to refuse, but something made her stop.

Why did I suddenly want to refuse?

I need something to hold onto.

I need to gain something from this.

If I make her owe me, I can sleep under a roof for one more day.

Even if it rains, I won’t get wet.

‘And the food is so good.’

Roro thought of the fancy meals she had every day and swallowed involuntarily.

Just then, her stomach growled.

She had eaten earlier, but…

Damn.

Annoyed by the sound from her stomach, Roro yelled louder.

“I’ll repay my debt!”

“Okay.”

“Make sure you do!”

“Yes!”

When she saw Melissa answer cheerfully, Roro felt strangely uneasy.

I really don’t get how she can be so soft-hearted.

‘What if she gets tricked?’

Suddenly, Roro imagined scammers lining up in front of Melissa, asking for a co-signature.

If it were Melissa, she’d probably put her stamp on every single document.

‘Those bastards need to be kicked in the ass.’

She’d teach them a lesson they wouldn’t forget, making sure they never come near again.

Roro snorted as she thought about the Eisenhart siblings.

Those nobles who were raised so decently probably don’t even know what a co-signature is.

They probably don’t even know how cunning scammers can be.

‘So, I need to stick close to her.’

Someone like me, who knows the ways of the world, is needed by someone as naïve as her.

Roro snorted and looked around.

Hmm. Squinting, she came to a conclusion.

‘I’m in trouble.’

This wasn’t a place she knew.

Not just unknown.

Roro let out a hollow laugh as she looked at the stalactites hanging from above her.

“A cave.”

There’s no way there could be a massive cave like this inside the Eisenhart territory.

And the soft blue light coming from the walls didn’t look like any cave humans would know.

‘How did I end up in this trap?’

Roro grabbed her hair as if pulling it out but quickly released it when she felt the pain in her scalp.

No, no.

It can’t be a trap.

There’s no way they’d lure such an innocent person like Melissa into a special trap.

Roro mumbled to herself as she glanced at Melissa.

‘What would someone like her have done to deserve any ill will?’

No, it’s not like she’s been tricked into coming here by something not even human.

“…Ah.”

Wait.

A realization hit Roro, and she quickly scanned the area.

The tiny shapes that had been swirling around her were flying around happily, making noise since they first opened their eyes in this cave.

These were the spirits… they were much livelier than the ones she’d seen outside.

‘So this is the spirits’ prank?’

Roro remembered the legends she’d heard about spirits when Melissa, who had been watching her, asked with a worried expression.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“I’ve been fine since earlier.”

Roro quickly rose from the skirt she’d been lying on and replied gruffly, and Melissa smiled brightly in relief.

“Then, shall we go?”

“…Huh?”

Roro blinked in response, and Melissa dusted off her skirt and stood up with ease.

“You seem to have regained your energy. Let’s go now!”

“Wh-what are you doing?”